Typewriter desk



L.. G. MILLE v TYPEWRITER DESK Filed May zo, 1942 H|| lll lll Feb. 29, 1944.`

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porting position when such platform 28 reaches its raised position. A handle 34 connected to the stop 3| through the panel I2 provides a convenient means of retracting the stop 3| to permit the platform 28 to be lowered.

The typewriter platform 30 is a rigid board of suitable size to receive a typewriter, conveniently with a clear area when extended about 17 inches wide by from 17 to 22 inches long. Pedestal width is related to platform width so that when the platform is in raised position one edge will press against the face of the rail I6, and its opposite and free edge will lie adjacent the inner wall (to the right in Fig. 1) of the pedestal.

The total length of the platform 30, for which clear space must be provided within the pedestal, should be such that when extended about threefths of the total length of such platform is a clear area lying in front of the forward wall of the pedestal.

The brackets 25 on the slide 20 are disposed so that when the platform 30 is extended the rearward bracket 25 lies at the front wall of the pedestal and the forward bracket 251s spaced forwardly about two-thirds of the distance to the forward edge in the platform 30. The slide 20 need not extend forwardly much beyond the forward bracket 25, but should extend rearwardly as far as the structure of the pedestal will permit.

At the rear edge of the clear typewriter-receiving area of the platform, in position to lie at the front of the pedestal when the platform is extended, there is an upstanding trim-strip 29, which serves to prevent papers, etc., from sliding out of reach within the pedestal, and also serves as a cross-brace for the platform near Where it is supported by the stop 3|. Behind such strip 29 and at or near the rear edge of the platform 30 there is an upstanding cross member`35. Its upper edge is beveled to form an upwardly presented, wide-angle wedge extending across substantially the entire width of the platform, but formed at its end near the pivoted side of the platform to avoid interference with pivotal movement. The member 35 moves with the platform, and when the platform is raised with the slide fully extended,` the upper Wedge-shaped edge is received within a mating groove in an abutment formed by a pair of strips 36 conveniently mounted on the under side of the desk top IIJ.

To move the typewriter and platform from the working position shown in Fig. l (in full lines) and in Figs. 2' and 3 to the housed position shown in Fig. 4, the stop 3| is retracted by means of the handle 34, and the platform 3|! is lowered to the position against the bumper 38, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, where it is wholly supported by the slide. The slide 20 may then be moved rearwardly to carry the platform and its typewriter into the pedestal, as shown in Fig. 4. To return the typewriter to working position, the slide 20 and its supported platform 3|I are pulled forward until the stop 31 engages its co-operating post The lower edge of the platform is then lifted until it is supportingly engaged by the stop 3|, which movement will also bring the cross member 35 into mating engagement with` the groove between the strips 36.

When the typewriter platform 30 is in its extended position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, its free edge will be supported on the stop 3| and it will be supported by the slide 20, at the pivot points located directly beneath the heavy portion of a typewriter mounted in the usual way, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. For this support, the

slide 20 will be held firmly in its rail grooves by engagement of the pivot-side edge of the platform with the face of the rail |6, for such engagement, made as the platform is raised when the slide is in extended position, will pull the upper edge of the slide 20 against the side of the upper rail groove I1. Such engagement of the edge of the platform 20 with the face of the rail I6 will also serve to hold such platform against movement in the plane of its working position. It will be given important additional support, and its rigidity against both vertical and horizontal movement increased to the high point required for a vtypewriter support by other means with which the pivot 26--21 and stop 3| co-operate.

In this additional support, the stop 3| will operate as a load-carrying member at the free edge of the platform, and the rear pivot-pin 21 will act as a load-carrying member at a directly opposite point spaced inwardly from the other side of the platform, the load at this point being transmitted directly through the rear bracket 25, and slide 2|), to an underlying point on the lower rail 23. Thus, at and near the front of the pedestal, the platform will have good load-carrying support, near its edges, at the point where it is cross-braced by the trim-strip 29. Behind this support, the rearwardly extending end of the platform'will be firmly held down by engagement of the cross-member 35 with the abutment strips 36, so that the platform itself will be firmly supported as a cantilever beam. Moreover, the member 35 will be wedged between the abutment strips 36 over substantially the whole width of the platform, and will thereby prevent any movement of the platform 20 in the horizontal plane of its working position.

When the platform is in its lowered, carrying position, both it and its typewriter are wholly supported by the slide, in a depending inclined position calculated to permit clear entrance into 'the pedestal for housing. In such position, the lcenter of gravity of the typewriter lies horizontally close to the lower slide, so that there is but a small side-thrust between the slide and'its iid rails, which facilitates sliding movement.

The inclined slide and the location of the pivot axis as shown, makes for efficient use of the space provided by the pedestal, and adapts the structure for use in a pedestal of usual size.

I claim as my invention:

1. A typewriter mounting and housing structure, comprising a pedestal, a slide, a typewriter platform pivotally supported on said slide near the typewriter-rear side of said platform and having a horizontal working position, an upper guide rail for said slide adjacent the pivot-side edge of said platform in its working position, a lower guide-rail positioned a considerable distance beneath the working position of the platform and spaced inwardly from said pivot-side edge, the axis of said pivotal support being positioned inwardly from said edge to lie horizontally between the rail-engaging edges of said slide, a releasable support for the free edge of said platform, which permits it to be lowered from its working position to a depending carrying position wholly supported by the slide, a vertical face fixed with respect to said upper rail in position to be engaged by the pivot-side edge of said platform upon movement to its working position to exert a clamping side-thrust between said upper rail and said slide, a rearward extension on said platform, abutment-engaging means upwardly presented by said extension, and a fixed abutment adapted to beengaged by and intert with' said abutmentengaging means.

2. A. typewriter mounting and housing structure, comprising apedestal, a slide, a typewriter platform pivotally supported on said' slide near the typewriter-rear side of said platform and having a horizontal working position, an upper guide-rail for said slide adjacent the pivot-side edge' of said platform in its working position, a lower guide-rail positioned. a considerable distance beneath. the working position of theplatform, the axis of said pivotal support being positioned inwardly from said edge, a releasable support for the free edge' of said platform, which permits` it to be lowered from its working position to a depending carrying position whollyy supported by the slide, a face fixed with respect to said upper rail in position'to be engaged by the pivot-.side edge of said platform upon movement toits working position to exert a clamping sidethrust between said upper rail` and said slide,

a rearward extension on Asaid platform, abutmentengaging means upwardly presented by saidextension, and a'iixed abutment adapted'to be engaged by said abutment-engaging means.

3. A typewriter mounting and housing structure, comprising a pedestal, a slide, a typewriter platform pivotally supported on said slide near the typewriter-rear side of said platform and having a horizontal working position, an upper guide-rail for said slide adjacent the pivot-side edge of said platform in its working position, a lower guide-rail positioned a considerable distancebeneath the working position of the pla-tform and spaced inwardly from said pivot-sidel edge, the axis of said pivotal support being positioned inwardly from said edge to lievhorizontally between the rail-engaging edges ofv said slide, a releasable support for the free edge of said platform, which permits it to be lowered from its Working position to a depending carrying position wholly supported by the slide, a vertical face fixed with respect to said upper rail in position to beengaged by the pivot-side edgev of said plotform upon movement to its working position to exert a vclamping side-thrust between said upper rail and said slide.

4. A typewriter mounting and housing structure, comprising a pedestal, a slide, a typewriter platform pivotally supported on said slide near the typewriter-rear side of said platform and having a horizontal working position, an upper guide-rail for said slide adjacent the pivot-side edge of said platform in its working position, a lower guide-rail positioned a considerable-distance beneath the working position of the platform, the axis -of said pivotalsupport being positioned inwardly from said edge, a releasable support for the, free edge of said platform, which permits it to be lowered from its working position to a depending carrying position wholly supported by the slide, a face fixed with respect to said upper rail in position'to be engaged by the pivot-side edge of saidplatform upon movement to its working position to exert a clamping reaction between said upper rail and said slide.

y 5. A typewriter mounting and housing structure, comprising a pedestal, a slide, a typewriter platform pivotally supported on said slide near the typewriter-rear side of said platform and having a horizontal working position, an upper guide-rail for said slide adjacent the pivot-side v edge of said platform in its working position, a

lower guide-rail positioned a considerable distance beneath the working position of the platture, comprising a pedestal, a slide, a typewriter platform pivotally supported on said slide near the typewriter-rear side of said platform and having a horizontal working position, anfupper guide-rail for said slide adjacent the pivot-side edge of said platform in its working position, Ya lower guide-rail positioned a considerable distance beneath the working position of the platform, the axis of said pivotal support being positioned linwardlyy from said; edge, a releasable support for the free edge of said platform, which permits it to be lowered'from its workingv position vto a depending carrying position wholly supported by the slide, a face xed with respect to said upper rail in position to be vengaged by the pivotside edge of said platform yupon movement to its working position tovexert a clamping side-thrust between said upper rail and said slide, a rearward extension on said platform, a cross-member 'at the rear of said member and having awedgeshaped upper edge, and means forming a mating groove positioned to receive said wedge-shaped upper edge'whensaid platform is in `working position. f i .l

7. A typewriter mountingand housing structure, comprising a pedestal, a slide, means on which said slide is mounted for movement into and out of said pedestal, a. typewriter platform pivotally supported on said slide on an axis generally parallel with slide-movement and near one upper corner of said pedestal, whereby when said slide is extended said platform may be moved between a horizontal working position and a depending position in which it may be carried inside'the pedestal by movement of said slide, said platform being of a length to extend in its working position rearwardly a substantial distance into said pedestal, means for supporting said 4 platform in its working position, including a retractable stop adjacent the front of said pedestal and providing an underlying support for the free side-edge of said platform, a cross member extending along the rear edge of said platform and y having an upper edge which is beveled to form a wide-angle wedge, and means carried by saidv pedestal and forming a groove to receive said wedge in mating relationship, to position said platform in the plane of its working position.

8. A typewriter supporting structure, comprising a slide and supporting rails therefor, a typewriter platform pivotally mounted on said slide to hold said platform downwardly at points a substantial distance rearwardly along the platform from said pivot support and said releasable support whereby to provide a cantilever support for said platform when in working position.

9. A typewriter supporting structure, comprising a slide and supporting rails therefor, a typewriter platform pivotally mounted on said slide on an axis parallel to, and spaced inwardly from one side-edge of the platform whereby said platform may be moved between a depending position to be carried by said slide and a horizontal working position, releasable means for supporting the free side edge of said platform in working position, and an overlying abutment positioned to be engaged when said platform is raised to working position to hold said platform downwardly at points a substantial distance rearwardly along the platform from said pivot support and said releasablesupport whereby to provide a cantilever support for said platform when in working position.

10. A structure as defined in claim 9, in which said overlying abutment and the platform part which it engages intert to position the platform in the plane of its Working position.

11. A typewriter carrier, comprising a pair oi guide-rails, a slide mounted in said rails, said slide being wide and said rails being widely spaced vertically and spaced horizontally to position said slide in an inclined position, a typewriter platform pivoted to said slide on an axis parallel with slide-movement, said platform being movable through less than 90 between a horizontal working position and a depending position in which it is adapted to be carried by said slide in its movement, said pivot axis being positioned above and between the rail engaging edges of said slide.

12. A typewriter mounting and housing structure, comprising a pedestal, a wide slide,'a typewriter platform pivotally mounted on said slide on an axis spaced inwardly from one side-edge of said platform and generally parallel with slide movement, and guide-rails for said slide to dispose it in an inclinedv position with its upper edge adjacent the pivot-side of said platform, said structure including an abutment in position to be engaged by the pivot-side edge of the platform as it is pivoted to horizontal position, there being slight interference between said abutment and said edge which tends to wedge said platform in the direction of its free edge to carry said slide at its upper edge toward a vertical position, and releasable means for holding said platform in horizontal position 13. In a typewriter support,` a wide slide adapted to slide longitudinally and being `inclined to present one face laterally and upwardly, supports on said face extending to a position above said slide, a typewriter platform pivoted to said supports in said posi-tion on a longitudinal axis spaced from one edge oi said platform, said platform being adapted to pivot from a horizontal working position to a depending position, the lower edge of said slide being below the depending edge of said platform, and ixed guide rails slidably engaged by the edges of said slide.

14. In a typewriter support, a wide slide adapted to slide longitudinally and being inclined to present one face laterally and upwardly, supports on said face extending to a position above said slide, a typewriter platform pivoted to said supports in said position on a longitudinal axis spaced from one edge of said platform, and fixed guide rails slidably engaged bythe edges of said slide.

LINUS G. MILLER. 

